External antenna jack?

Hi, folks. New guy here. Hope to learn a lot.

I just switched my Verizon service to a fascinate, and am disappointed to learn that no one knows anything about external antenna connection. Not the techs at Verizon, not Wilson, nor any others I called.

Removing the battery case, then removing a patch of black tape reveals two jacks. Above the battery on the right side. Picture on request. I suspect these are for external antennas for the telephone and the GPS, but do no know for sure, or which is which. They are next to each other, and appear to be the same configuration. The Wilson catalog of adapters to FME cables does not list the fascinate.

I got lousy reception out in the bushes with my previous VZ phone, an LG Dare, but improved things tremendously with a Wilson trucker or their dual band yagi. No amplifier, just direct connected. I got on the internet in campgrounds where other people couldn't even get voice.

The Verizon version of the Dare had only a phone antenna jack, and did not have the GPS jack like the version for some other carriers.

I would like to do the same with my fascinate, but don't know where to start. I am mainly interested in having the phone antenna connected, but it would be very handy to have an external GPS antenna connected, as well. This would avoid having to hold the fascinate close to the windshield to get good signals while driving.

I guess my alternative would be a SOHO Wilson amp and their velcro antenna on the phone.

TTT
I too would be interested in knowing this. In my searching awhile back I stumbled onto an antenna that, if I remember right, connected the way that you are describing, but I can't find it now. AARRGGG!!!

Hi billat908, I'm curious if you ever got your answer here? I too am needing a external antenna for whatever smartphone I upgrade to, since antenna access is the only way for me to get cell service in a frequeted area. I'm interested in the Fascinate for this solution, or any other smart phone that someone can confirm will have a port for a external antenna. You seem to be the only one who has any info on this, so if you have confirmation I'd really appreciate it.

Also, if you have a pic of the antenna ports handy, I'd like to get a copy. PM me if you need my email address to send one over.

As you can see, there are two jacks there, just above the memory card. Neither Verizon or Samsung knows anything about them. Depending on who is on the line, they will even deny their existence. They are hidden by a cleverly-shaped piece of black tape, so you need either X-Ray vision or Black Tape Detector to see them.

My own guess is that one is for an external telephone antenna and the other is for an external GPS antenna. Both would be handy if I knew which was which and how to connect them. No one has any idea what connector fits them, either. Wilson specifies one that does not fit. They are also unable to tell me what the sizes of configuration of any of their adapter connectors. The Wilson script-readers who answer the phone are clueless if you ask them anything that is not on their script, and will not connect you to anyone who knows anything. The stores that claim to know are incorrect, as well. My guess is that the connector has an insulated female pin the goes down inside with an outer tube that slips over the outside of what you see on the phone. The OD of the connector on the phone would appear to be about 1.5 mm, but that is just a guess, as it is down in a hole.

I too would be interested in knowing this. Hey, it never hurts to get the best signal possible.

Not sure, but it doesnt seem to be an expensive item to add to the phone?.....if anyone ever figures it out.

The reason I am pursuing this is that my last phone was a Dare, and connecting the Wilson Trucker to it made a stunning improvement. Using a Wilson dual band yagi on a pole got me great data reception in locations where the Trucker wouldn't even get me a signal.

Of course, this was in an area where Verizon showed coverage on their map, but that is another story.

I am a real believer in direct connected antennas. I have gotten great reception in areas where others had to use amplifiers. They did not use direct connect antennas because they didn't know how or they listened to naysayers who poo-pooed direct connecting.

It was funny, there was a cattle guard up the road a piece, and we could see people stopping there in their cars to use their phones and tethered laptops. I don't know if it was the geographic location or the metal bars of the cattle guard, but that was the place. I have seen other sweet spots for reception that involved metal. One was just a manhole cover.

Part of me regrets buying the Fascinate, but its ability to receive Google maps and its superb display swung the deal. I would just like it to be as good a modem for tethering as the Dare was.